Snow Angel
by inee
Summary: Clary finds a boy lying in the snow. He doesn't remember anything but his name, Jace. Surprised by how much she cares about Jace without ever having met him, Clary helps him figure out who he is and how he ended up freezing and alone.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hi! I really shouldn't be starting a new story, since I'm already writing two others, but this plot bunny wouldn't leave me alone. This will probably be a pretty short story, just a few chapters, but I'm really excited about it :). **

**Things you need to know before you start reading: This is before City of Bones, Clary and Jace have never met. Clary lives with Luke because her mother died** (you'll read more about that in the story).

**Things you need to remember when you are reading: Of course going to the hospital/police is more logical, but if Clary and Luke did that, there wouldn't be a story. So just go with it ;).**

_Disclaimer: I don't own The Mortal Instruments, pout._

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><p>"Roger!" Clary yelled, slightly out of breath. She'd promised to go for a walk with Luke's dog, Roger, but had regretted it the moment she'd left the house. For one, it was freezing outside. Even all bundled up, wearing two pairs of socks, two sweaters, mittens and a hat, she was still freezing to death. Roger was the second problem. He was <em>huge<em>. She'd known that, of course, she'd been living with Luke for over a year now, but it had never occurred to her that he would also be so _strong_.

He was some kind of mixture between breeds, and looked more like a wolf than a dog. His pelt was thick and soft, and at the moment covered in snow. Clary was waiting for him to come back from between the trees. She'd felt bad for him: having to walk on a leash while he obviously wanted to roll around in the snow. Well, she wouldn't make that mistake again. It had been impossible to get him back on the leash.

Clary wiggled her toes anxiously, making sure they were still there. Usually this was Simon's job, but he wasn't allowed to leave the house because of a cold. Clary yelled one more time, and to her relief Roger came running towards her. She quickly fastened his strap to his collar and wrapped the other end around her hand, trying to prevent it from slipping away.

"And now stay with me!" She said sternly, holding up her index finger to show him that she was being serious.

The dog whined and let its tongue hang out of its mouth.

Clary jumped up and down a few times, trying to stay warm, and pulled her hat over her ears. She'd gotten it from Luke for Christmas, dark blue with dark, fake fur.

"Okay, now don't go running off, let's just walk around the lake without further problems, alright?" She said to Roger while walking down the trail covered in snow. Simon always came here to walk with Roger, so she assumed it wouldn't be too hard.

Clary managed not to slip on the icy pathway and Roger was being a good dog, until he suddenly halted. He raised his snout and sniffed the air, ears pointing upward.

"No, no, no, no! Roger, don't." Clary pleaded with him. This was exactly what he'd done the first time, before he'd run off without her. "Leave the cute squirrels alone." She said in a soft voice, trying to calm him.

It didn't help. Roger pulled away like an arrow, snapping the leash and leaving Clary behind.

"_Roger_! Bad dog!" Clary ran after him, skidding a bit, and followed him down the side of the trail. He was descending towards the water, which was covered with a thick layer of ice, and Clary pushed harder to keep up with him. She had no idea what she would do if he walked onto the ice. Images flashed before her eyes, the ice breaking, Roger falling in, herself falling in after him or trying to pull his wet weight out of it.

"Roger, come back!" She yelled, but then caught sight of him between some trees near the edge of the water. He was standing over something, his head low. She guessed it was a dead animal, or garbage, but when she came closer she recognized a hand.

She froze, a scream building up inside her. Had they found a body? If she came closer, would she really see someone lying there, dead? Roger prodded his nose into what had to be the person's stomach, and Clary heard a faint groan. She let out her breath and relaxed. It wasn't a _dead_ person. She approached Roger, fastening the broken leash onto his collar and knotting it to a tree before taking a closer look. When she was sure Roger wouldn't run off behind her back, she slowly turned around to look.

It was a boy. He seemed as old as she was, or maybe a little older, and he didn't look good. Or, he _did _actually, but not right now. His blonde hair was wet and dirty, sticking against his head. He was wearing only a long sleeved, black shirt and black pants. His lips were turning from purple to blue and dirt streaked his face. Just looking at him made Clary shiver, who would go out dressed like this when it was freezing?

"Hello?" She knelt down beside his face and tapped his shoulder. "Hey, can you hear me?"

He swallowed, but didn't do anything else.

"I'm Clary, can you open your eyes?" She pulled off one of her mittens and touched his cheek. Ice cold.

Clary bit her lip. This wasn't good. She fished her cell phone out of her pocket and dialled Luke's number. It rang five times, and for a moment she was afraid he wouldn't answer, but then she heard his voice.

"Hi, Clary. Is Roger causing you problems?" Luke actually had the nerve to sound amused.

"No. Not now, at least." Her voice shook.

"Clary, what's wrong?" Luke asked, worried now.

"I found a boy. He's lying unconscious near the lake and he's freezing."

"Do you know him?" Luke asked, confused.

"Not at all. I just found him here, or actually Roger found him." Clary explained. She studied the boy again, trying to find a backpack or some sort of jacket. "Oh!" She gasped. One stain on his shirt she'd interpreted as water from the lake, had made a red spot in the snow beneath him.

"What is it?"

"I think he's hurt. Luke, you have to come and help him." Clary said worriedly, tears were burning behind her eyes, and the intense sorrow she felt surprised her. She didn't know this guy at all, yet somehow she cared about him.

"I'm on my way." Luke said, and Clary heard him hang up.

She hesitated, what was she supposed to do now? She couldn't just leave him there on the ground until Luke came, he'd freeze! She sat down on her knees behind his head and tried to lift his upper body so that it rested against her. At least he wasn't touching the snow anymore. Then she pulled of her mittens and awkwardly pushed them over his hands. She shrugged out of her jacket and covered his chest with it. His wet back and hair pressed against her stomach, making her shiver.

After a few minutes she was freezing, and really wanted Luke to come. She wondered what they would do then, take him to the hospital? She didn't think so, hospitals disgusted Luke after her mom died in one. He claimed they didn't really cure anything and just pumped you full with drugs until you seemed okay enough to leave. Clary didn't really share that opinion, but she had to admit that everything about her mother's illness had made her cautious around doctors.

Luke knew some people who could help, like Magnus, he'd probably call them. Clary smiled a little when she thought of Magnus. He called himself a warlock, but she didn't believe in that sort of thing. Not really. He'd cured her from a cold once, and his tea worked wonders when she had a headache, but that wasn't magic. He was just very good with all the herbal stuff. The boy on her lap shifted a little, startling her.

"Hello?" She asked again, maybe the little bit of warmth had given him enough energy to wake up.

The boy swallowed and frowned but his eyes didn't open.

"Can you hear me? What's your name?" Clary pushed the loose strands of wet hair out of his face.

She barely understood him. His lips moved only little and his voice was hoarse. "Jace."

"Oh. Well, we're going to help you, Jace. You'll be warm soon." She assured him, pulling her jacket even tighter around him. She thought she saw him nod, but wasn't sure.

After a few minutes, she heard Luke's truck drive by on the trail.

"Luke! Down here!" She yelled, but the truck didn't stop. Clary eyed the leash she'd knotted around the tree and shrugged. The strap was broken anyway, and Luke could deal with Roger if he ran away again.

"Roger, fetch Luke!" She commanded, pointing to where she heard the truck's engine.

Roger cocked his head to the side and set a few steps in the right direction.

"Go on! Go!" Clary yelled, making big gestures towards the truck. "Break the stupid leash, I don't care."

Roger seemed to understand her, yanked the strap loose and ran away.

After a minute, Luke reached her and eyed Jace worriedly. "That doesn't look good." He said.

"We need to get him someplace warm." Clary held his shoulders while she manoeuvred away from him.

"Let's just taken him home for now, did you find some sort of ID?" Luke asked. He took over Clary's hold on Jace's shoulders and lifted him a little. "You take his legs." He said.

"Be careful. He's been bleeding somewhere but I don't know if it's serious. He didn't have anything in his pockets, no wallet." Clary lifted Jace's feet and helped carrying him to the truck. "He did tell me his name, Jace, but then he passed out again."

They managed to lay Jace down on the backseat and Luke went to get Roger. Clary wedged herself between the backseat and Luke's seat, so she could make sure nothing happened while they were driving.

Jace was getting closer to waking up. He moved a little, and tried to speak a few times. Clary stroked his hair and tried to calm him.

"Shh, it's alright." She pulled a thick blanket from under the seat and covered Jace's shivering body with it. "Jace? We're taking you to our house, okay? Then you can call your parents." She said soothingly.

To her surprise, he reacted. He shook his head a little.

Clary raised her eyebrows. "If you don't want to come to our home, that's fine. Just tell us where you live." She wouldn't like being taken to a stranger's house either, and she didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable.

He shook his head again. "No…" He licked his lips. "No parents." He said hoarsely.

"Whatever you want." Clary said. Why shouldn't they call his parents? Maybe he had run away from home, but then where was his stuff? "Just wait until we get you warmed up, we'll figure things out, okay?"

Jace didn't say anything else.

Then Luke got in the car, Roger jumped onto the passenger seat and they headed home. Clary worried about Jace when the truck bumped up and down, and made sure he didn't slide off the backseat. Her fingers hovered above his cheek and she realized she really wanted to see his eyes. She wondered which colour they were, how they would fit in his handsome face. She tried to imagine what he would normally look like, clean face and dry hair, and smiled a little.

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><p><strong>AN: So, I hope you liked the first chapter! This is my first MI story, and I'd love to know what you think about it :). Please review?<strong>

**Thank you so much for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Whoa, you guys are so awesome! Thank you so much for the alerts, favorites and reviews. I hope you like this chapter as much as the first one :).**

_Disclaimer: Don't own anything._

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><p>When they arrived at the house, Clary helped Luke carry Jace inside. They put him on the bed in the spare bedroom, where Simon slept when he stayed the night. Luke turned the heater on and Clary took off Jace's shoes so he wouldn't mess up the sheets.<p>

"So did he say anything else?" Luke asked.

"Yes, but I'm not sure if he knew what he was saying. I told him we'd take him here so he could call his parents, but he didn't want that. Or at least that's what I understood." She shrugged.

"We'll wait until he wakes up." Luke said, rubbing a hand across his forehead. "Will you make sure he's got everything? Blankets and such, maybe something to drink." Luke turned to leave but stopped in the doorway. "Didn't you say he was hurt, on the phone?"

"I thought he was." Clary frowned. "I looked for a wound but I didn't find anything."

It had been a bit strange. After laying Jace down in the car, she'd lifted his shirt a little bit to find where the blood had come from, but she hadn't found anything. Wanting to make sure, she pushed away the covers and lifted his shirt again. Nothing. He had to be some sort of athlete though, because Clary stared a little before pulling his shirt back down. But it was still wet, and if he didn't take it of, the mattress would become wet, too. Clary bit her lip and then pulled Jace's shirt over his head. When she managed to get his arms out of the sleeves, she just stood there for a moment, blushing. He really did look good.

Then something caught her eye, a pattern of lines was barely visible on his shoulder. Clary frowned and kneeled next to the bed. When she got a closer look, she saw that the lines were lighter than his skin, like some sort of scar. It was too beautiful to be a scar though, and Clary's finger hovered above it. When she put more distance between herself and Jace, she realized the patterns were _everywhere_. When you knew what to look for, you could see designs covering both shoulders, tracing down his side, etched into his chest and covering his arms.

On his side, a little above the place where she'd seen the blood, a fading black curl was visible. It seemed to be some sort of symbol, but she'd never seen it before. She stared, her mouth almost falling open. It was beautiful, but what was it? Now that she'd seen them, it was impossible to look at him without noticing the lines. She shook her head, realizing how rude she was being, pulled one of Simon's soft, black hoodies from a drawer and got Jace in it without too many problems. She was way too embarrassed to even touch his pants, even if they'd been caked with ice, so she covered him with a blanket and closed the curtains. She put a glass of water on the nightstand and wrote him a little note, in case he woke up without her there.

Clary joined Luke in the kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee. "I'm never going on a walk with that dog again." She said, nodding at Roger who was sleeping on his blanket.

"Not even if you find hot guys lying around?" Luke grinned from behind his laptop.

Clary gasped. "He's not- I mean… That's not why I helped him!" She felt blood rush to her cheeks and turned away.

Luke laughed. "I'm sorry. You were very kind to him." He said, softer this time.

Clary shrugged. "He seems… interesting. And sad."

"He was probably sad because he was freezing to death. And he's not interesting enough to be found with google."

"You googled him?" Clary asked, her eyes wide. "Why? We only know his name."

"Well, I don't know many people called 'Jace', do you? I figured it was worth a try." Luke shrugged. "At least we'd know who to contact."

Clary bended over the keyboard. "You should try facebook." She said, while typing in his name. They found about twenty different Jaces, but not the one they were looking for.

"Then we'll just wait." She said, sighing.

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><p>When Jace woke up, he immediately realised that something was wrong. Not because his muscles ached or his teeth were chattering, thought that was a bit worrying, but because the light was weird. Nowhere in… in…his mind blanked. Why couldn't he remember what it was? He must still be half asleep. Anyway, the light didn't normally come in from the right. It always came from the left, in every room in the… Jace cursed inwardly, why wouldn't his mind wake up? He pushed the blankets away, but when he tried to sit upright, his arms wouldn't hold him up and he fell back down. Something must've gone wrong with… what had he been doing the day before? It must've been something important, something dangerous.<p>

Jace pushed himself up more slowly this time, and looked around the room. He didn't recognize it, who's house was this? _And who's hoodie?_ He thought, startled. Someone had changed his clothes! He saw a black shirt hanging on a chair in the corner. He'd been wearing that, hadn't he? Yes, he had. Finally, something he was certain about. He turned to sit on the edge of the bed and noticed that he was still wearing his own pants. Good, he thought. They'd been expensive.

He'd had enough of all the mystery now, and stood, leaning against the wall until a wave of dizziness passed. Then he saw a piece of paper on the nightstand. 'Jace' written on the back. He picked it up and his eyes scanned the few scribbled lines.

_Jace, I hope you're feeling better. There's more clothes in the top drawer if you're still cold. I'll be in the living room if you need anything or want to call someone. (that's the door on your left when you leave the room.)_

_Clary_

Jace frowned. Clary? It sounded familiar, and he dug in his memory. He seemed to remember a voice, but couldn't put a face on it. She'd told him something… In a car… Brief flashes of memory came to him, and he concentrated. In a foggy memory, he told her his name. Her arms were wrapped around him. Oh, shit. Had there been a party? Had he gone home with some girl he didn't remember?

He panicked for a second, until he realized that was wrong. Something _had_ happened. He didn't remember what, but that Clary person had found him. He'd been in a car and she'd been worried. He read the note again, looking for clues. He figured he'd been cold and not well when she found him, but that's about all he got. And she was right, he had to call someone. He had to call… How could he not remember? Jace made a fist and smashed it against the wall. Where were his memories?

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><p>Clary was making tea like Magnus had told her to. Luke had called him, explaining the situation, and Magnus had promised them to come over later that night if they needed him. For now he'd just given Clary the recipe of some kind of tea which would help Jace's body to warm up. Clary was just pouring it into a cup when she saw the door open. Jace entered the room, glancing around suspiciously as if he'd just set foot on some kind of battlefield.<p>

"Hi." Clary said softly.

"Hello?" Jace said, still sounding a bit hoarse. "You're Clary?"

Clary nodded. "How are you feeling?"

"I don't know. Where am I?" He asked, glancing around again.

Clary gestured to a chair. "Let's sit down? Then we can figure everything out." She smiled, trying to show him that he could relax. Something in his eyes was off, and she realized that he wasn't feeling as calm as he seemed to.

Jace sat down and Clary gave him the cup of tea before sitting down across from him. "That's supposed to be good against the cold." She explained, when he made a weird face at it.

"Why do I need something against the cold?" Jace asked. His face didn't show any emotions, and it didn't seem like he was going to drink anything she gave him.

Clary couldn't help but feel a bit hurt. It wasn't his fault, of course not, she would freak out too if she woke up in the house of a stranger. But she'd been hoping to get to know him, to find out why she cared about him without ever seeing him before. She'd been hoping that he'd felt something like that, too. But obviously he hadn't.

"You don't remember?" Clary asked. When she saw Jace's blank face, she went on. "I found you at the lake, you were lying on the ground, freezing."

"How did I get there?" Jace asked, surprised.

"How would I know?" Clary frowned, confused. "You don't remember how you got there?"

Jace put his head in his hands and rubbed his temples. "I don't know what I remember!" He groaned.

"Maybe you parents know more. You can call them if you want." Clary bit her lip, she wanted to help him, but really didn't know what to do.

"I don't…have…parents." Jace said the words hesitatingly. As if he wasn't sure.

"Oh…Sorry. Who do you live with, then?" Clary was starting to realize something, and she didn't like it at all.

When she saw a desperate look crossing his otherwise guarded face, she knew she was right.

"You don't remember anything, do you?" She said silently.

Jace shook his head, his mouth a thin line.

"Well, maybe it's just coming slowly?" She tried.

Jace shrugged, and stared at the table. He tried to keep a straight face but Clary could see turmoil in his eyes, and she felt awful. What was it with him that made her so emotional? She took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair.

"You can take a shower if you want." She said, trying to cheer him up. "Luke will come home in a few hours. He knows someone who might be able to help. His name's Magnus, and he's good with herbs and stuff."

Jace lifted his head. "What's his name?"

"Magnus Bane. He calls himself a warlock."

Jace mouthed the name a few times, frowning. He didn't say anything for a few minutes, and Clary took his, now cold, tea and poured it in the sink.

"Clary?" Jace asked, and she turned around. The way he'd said her name had felt like a little electric buzz going trough her body. "I think I'd like a shower." He said, smiling a little.

Jace followed Clary to the bathroom and she gave him a clean towel.

"Just yell if you need anything." She said, and left the room. Jace watched her leave with a frown on his face. He now remembered most of what happened after she found him. She sat in the snow with him, kept him warm. He thought he even remembered her stroking his face or hair. Why had she done all that? She didn't even know him.

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><p><strong>AN: So, that was chapter two! These chapters are shorter than the ones I usually write, but I will try to update every three days. Hope you liked it! Please let me know what you think :) <strong>

**thank you all for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Hi everyone, thank you so much for the reviews and alerts! hope you like chapter 3 :)**

_Disclaimer: Sadly enough, I don't own the Mortal Instruments series. It's all Cassandra Clare's._

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><p>Jace pulled the hoodie over his head and hung it on the doorknob. A big mirror hang above the sink and he turned to look at himself. His hair was dry but still sticking against his head, smears of dirt streaked his cheeks. What had he been doing? Fighting…something? Jace stared at the white scars that covered his chest and frowned. Something was… off. Something nagged at his memory and his fingers traced one of the silver swirls on the side of his stomach. Jace pressed his palms against his eyes and groaned. It seemed as if everything was locked up in a box in the back of his mind, and he just didn't have the key.<p>

He calmed down while he waited for warm water and by time he stood in the shower, he was determined to find out how his memory loss worked. The water was hot and he let it burn his scalp and cascade down his back while tried to think. He knew one thing for certain: not everything was locked away. He knew certain things, and maybe if he went on from there, he'd figure more things out. He'd known that his parents were dead. He tried to think about his family, where he lived, but he just found fog. Okay, so maybe he had to start somewhere else.

His scars. Those gave him mixed feelings. They were familiar, he knew them, and he knew others didn't have them. Or something like that. Not just others but… _others_. God, this was frustrating. There was something about the one on his side, though. It was… _new_. Finally! Maybe he was getting somewhere. So the scar was new, how did it get there? He closed his eyes. _Blood_. He'd been bleeding. His left hand clenched and he imagined a familiar weight in it, smooth and cold. His… Dammit! What was the word? Jace sighed and clenched his jaw. He wouldn't give up until he remembered the right word. It took some time, but after thinking hard and imagining the slight burn on his skin which he knew was part of it, he succeeded. _Stele_.

His _stele_! Jace realized his eyes were still closed, and opened them, blinking away the water. He frowned when he found himself leaning against the wall of the shower cabin, not even under the spray of the showerhead. His fingers were trembling and he was a little dizzy. Surprised that remembering had drained him like this, he finished showering and got dressed. When he entered the room he'd slept in, he found pancakes on the nightstand. A pile of them, syrup dripping down the side. His stomach clenched and for the first time he realized just how hungry he was. He slowly sat down and reached for the plate. They were hot and smelled delicious, by the time Clary knocked on his door, he'd finished about half of them.

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><p>"Can I come in?" Clary asked from behind the door.<p>

"Sure," she heard, and by the sound of his voice, she guessed he was eating his dinner.

When she entered the room she found Jace on the edge of his bed, his hair wet and wavy, his face clean and so handsome. Clary looked away, why did looking at him make her blush?

"Thanks." He said after swallowing a bite. "They're amazing."

Clary sat down next to him and smiled. "Glad you like them. Do you need anything else?"

Jace shook his head and reached over to set the plate back on the nightstand. He leaned back against the wall and let his head fall back.

Clary stared at him, hoping that he couldn't peek out from under his lashes and watch her being rude. His skin seemed pale against the black of the hoodie and his hands were lying in his lap. "Your hands are shaking!" She said, and touched them without thinking. His fingers twitched when she did, but he didn't pull away.

"I know." He sighed. "I've been trying to remember things."

"Did you?" Clary asked curiously.

Jace shook his head. "Not really. Just confused myself even more."

They sat in silence for a while, but then Clary gathered her courage and asked him something she hadn't been able to stop thinking about. "Jace?"

He opened his eyes a little and turned his head to look at her.

"I was just wondering… The symbol, and those lines, on your skin… what are they?" Her gaze slipped down to his chest and she looked away, embarrassed.

Jace's eyes widened and then he frowned. "You saw that?"

"I- well, you shirt was wet… You were so cold, I thought it was better to get it off you." Clary stuttered.

"I don't care about the shirt." Jace shook his head and leaned towards her. "What exactly did you see?" He was looking at her intensely, and he didn't seem to realize it, but his hands were gripping hers tightly.

Clary was startled, and annoyed at herself. She should've just kept her mouth shut. She wanted to look away, but his gaze didn't let her go. "Just lines, or scars, or something. And some sort of tattoo. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"You're not supposed to see that." Jace mumbled, as if talking to himself. "At least I thought–" He stopped talking and pressed his lips together.

Clary didn't know what to do. Jace wasn't even paying attention to her, but his hands were still holding hers tightly and shook so hard it made her shake as well. He must be trying to remember, Clary thought, thinking about what he said earlier. His lips were moving now, but he didn't make a sound. He closed his eyes and she could see him struggle. This couldn't be good for him.

"Jace." Clary said, trying to get his attention. He didn't seem to hear it. "Jace!"

His head shot up and he opened his eyes. He stared at her for a moment, dazed, and then looked down at their hands. He pulled his back immediately, and Clary rubbed her red fingers.

"You shouldn't do that to yourself."

Jace rubbed in his eyes and sighed. "Not knowing anything is worse."

"Did it work?" Clary asked.

His lips pressed together and he looked away.

"I'm sorry." Clary pushed herself off the bed. "You don't need to tell me anything. You know where to find me." She turned to leave, but he caught her wrist and gently pulled on it.

"Wait." He said, hesitating.

Clary turned around, trying not to show how happy she was about staying.

"I do want to talk. I just… I _can't_ tell you everything. I just can't."

Of course he couldn't, she thought, he barely remembered anything. She sat down again, much closer to him this time and trying to subtle about that. She waited for him to say something and stared at her hands in her lap.

"You saw a symbol?" Jace asked.

It took Clary a second to realize he was still talking about the scars she'd seen. "Yes, it was black, but fading a bit. The others were more silvery." She explained.

Jace laughed a little. "You really studied them, huh?"

Clary felt heat rise up to her face and wished she would just stop blushing all the time.

"Well, this means I have a problem." Jace said slowly. "Either I'm wrong, or you're weird."

Clary gave him a confused look and waited for him to explain. Even though he wasn't making sense, she liked that he was talking so freely. He didn't seem as guarded anymore.

Jace pulled the hem of his shirt up and traced a few of the silver lines that covered his skin. "Where did you see the mark?" He asked, without looking up at her.

Clary stared at the side of his stomach. "It's gone." She said quietly. She leaned towards him, to make sense of what she was seeing, but nothing changed. The black swirl was gone, a subtle, silver one in its place. Clary reached out without thinking and touched it. "It was right there." She said, pulling away.

Jace was grinning. "I _knew_ it!" He pulled his shirt back down and looked up at her, studying her face.

"What is it?" she asked, confused.

"Does the word _stele_ mean anything to you?" He asked, sounding hopeful.

Clary raised her eyebrows. "Never heard of it."

He pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Damn. I thought I was finally getting somewhere. See, I remember some things, but without the rest, everything's just weird and nothing makes sense."

Clary was thinking he'd stopped making sense from the moment he started talking, and didn't really know what to say to him. "Then just… wait until you can explain better." She said, almost making it a question. Maybe he wouldn't want to tell her anything.

He nodded. "You already know too much anyway." He said.

"What?" Clary frowned.

Jace shook his head and stood up. "I'd like to go outside for a bit, maybe I just need some fresh air."

"Okay. Do you need a jacket? It's still freezing."

"Nah." He shrugged and left the room. He turned around in the doorway and raised an eyebrow. "Are you coming or what?"

"Oh. Yes, of course." Clary quickly followed behind him and grabbed her jacket and hat on the way out.

It was beautiful outside, but Clary wasn't looking at the crystallized grass or the trees covered in snow, she kept sneaking worried glances at Jace. She didn't think going outside was a great idea after almost freezing to death the day before, but Jace didn't seem to mind the cold. He was breathing in the chilly air as if he'd been locked up for months and grinned at Clary's unsteadiness on the iced over boardwalk.

Clary had been studying the ground in front of her, walking very slowly which annoyed Jace to no end, just to make sure she didn't fall, but it didn't help. Her foot hit a metal grid, slipped and Clary lost her balance. She yelped and reached out to grab Jace's hand, but failed. She anticipated feeling her body hit the snow and closed her eyes, but he caught her. He held one arm behind her shoulders and one under her knees, sweeping her up before she could hit the ground. Clary gasped, clutching at the fabric of his hoodie. "Whoa…um, thanks."

He grinned and put her down. "I don't know if it's even possible, but you should be more careful." He teased. He grabbed her hand and walked on.

Clary tried to keep up with him, but it was hard to concentrate while feeling his hand around hers.

After a few minutes, they'd left the houses behind and had reached a more deserted part of town. Clary felt a shiver run down her spine and looked around. It was getting dark, though it was still early, and Clary clutched Jace's hand a bit tighter.

"Do you feel that?" She asked silently. "There's something… off."

"I know." Jace whispered back.

Clary realized he'd gone very quiet and was glancing around suspiciously.

When they were about to pass a narrow ally on their left, Jace froze. He let go of her hand and slowly pulled her back by her shoulders. Clary was too surprised, and definitely too scared, to say something. When they were standing in the middle of the road, facing the ally, she could feel his breath in her neck.

"Don't scream, just stay here, okay?" He whispered in her ear.

Clary nodded, her eyes wide.

Jace stepped around her and approached the ally stealthily. Clary saw something move in the shadows and her breath caught in her throat. What _was_ it? A grey shape was moving closer to Jace, it wasn't a human, but it definitely wasn't an animal either. It was a… a _monster_. Clary pressed her fist against her teeth to keep quiet and stared at the thing approaching Jace. It had four long, spidery legs and was as tall as Jace. Clary couldn't quite see the head, but she heard it hiss and whimpered a little. _She was going to die._

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><p><strong>AN: So, what did you think about the chapter? Do you like where this is going? Like, love, hate? Please review! Thank you all so much for reading :)<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Thanks for the reviews and alerts and favorites and whatnots! Hope you like this chapter :)**

**Jaceluver14 was a bit confused about their ages, so to clear that up: Clary and Jace are just a little older than in the books. Jace is 18, Clary almost 18. It's not very important, I just picture them like that in my head :).**

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Mortal Instruments, it all belongs to Cassandra Clare._

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><p>Jace's head was filled with chaos. He heard Clary whimper behind him and resisted the urge to grab her and lock her up safe somewhere miles away. The thing in front of him hissed and its eyes were fixed on him. Jace's hand automatically slipped behind his belt. He had no idea <em>how<em> he would get himself and Clary out of this situation, but he did know that he _could_. Instinctively, his fingers hooked behind a leather loop, twisted, and pulled out a blade.

"_Ithuriel_" He said the word without thinking about it and the blade shimmered. It startled him, but he knew he didn't have any time to loose.

He moved and circled the thing in front of him, knowing that the small eyes wouldn't be able to follow him. He realized that he was smiling, and his muscles tingled, anticipating the exertion that was about to follow. Somehow he knew this, knew exactly what to do and how to react. His arm shot forward and he injured one of the creatures legs, crippling it. It snarled, showing fangs and twisted. He ducked when it tried to pierce him with the pointed end of another leg and shoved the blade into the creatures body. It let out a piercing wail and stupidly lunged at him again. He tripped when he tried to move away and landed on his back. Scrambling away, he quickly pushed himself to his feet and gave the thing a kick in the head. It staggered back, swaying a little, and Jace smiled. He pierced the grey scales and twisted his blade, destroying the heart. It fell back, dead, and Jace grinned. In a few seconds, the body dissolved and left behind stains of dark fluid.

Jace was feeling pretty good about himself as he watched the pools of black blood, until he heard Clary's shuddering breath. He turned around and she saw her sitting on the ground, her hands pressed against her mouth and her eyes wide. He walked over to where she was sitting, hesitating a bit. She would ask him questions, but he already knew he wouldn't be able to answer. What he had just been doing, it had to be something he did often. Not once did he hesitate or panic while fighting, everything had come to him easily, and he had no idea why.

Clary lowered her hands but kept staring at him. He reached out and offered her his hand so she could get up. She took it, her fingers trembling, and awkwardly pushed herself off the ground.

He wanted to say something, but before he got the chance, she was clinging to him. Her hands still shaking, but gripping his sleeves tightly. Her face buried against his shoulders. He could feel her heart hammer against his and her whole body was trembling.

"My god, Jace, what _was_ that?" She said, her voice caught when she said his name.

"I don't know." He said, "I really don't, but I feel like I ought to. It has to be something I'm used to." He said. He looked down at her and didn't really know what to do.

She looked up at him, her cheeks turning red. "I- I'm sorry. I shouldn't-" Her voice faltered and she glanced away, but she didn't let go of him and he liked that.

His heart was still beating fast and adrenaline still pumped through his veins. Fighting had left him exhilarated, and he was fearless, he could do anything. His hands moved to Clary's face, making her look at him. She looked up at him, startled, and he moved one hand to her neck, his fingers twisting around the soft red curls. She wasn't moving, just staring at him with big eyes and breathing in small gasps. He wanted to wait, to just keep standing there with her and never move, but her body was moulded so perfectly against his, and her lips just begged to be kissed. He tilted her chin up slowly and kissed her, lightly brushing his lips against hers and gauging her reaction. She let out a trembling breath and pushed herself against him, her arms reaching around his neck.

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><p>Clary was flying. She was feeling <em>everything<em>. Her lips were moving of their own accord and her legs were tingling, threatening to give out. Jace's hands were everywhere, twisting in her hair, around her back, cupping her face. Part of her was still shocked at what she'd just seen, Jace killing a monster and the thing disappearing, and she could taste her dried tears on her lips. But Jace's embrace pushed the memory away and made her feel _alive_. She didn't know why, but tears started running down her cheeks. Jace noticed and froze.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She gasped, pulling him closer.

He didn't kiss her, though, and studied her worriedly. She stood up on her toes and held his face in her hands.

"Don't stop." She said, and her fingertips stroked his cheeks. "I don't want to worry about what happened, I want _you_."

He didn't hesitate any longer and almost lifted her off the ground when he kissed her again. His lips moved to her throat. "That's good." He mumbled against her skin. "Because I want you too."

"We probably should go home." Clary mumbled. She was leaning against Jace, who was stroking her back. They were both still a bit breathless and Clary was feeling a little light headed. She lifted her head and looked around. The narrow alley was the least romantic location possible, and she'd never imagined having her first kiss right after seeing some monster die right in front of her and collapsing to the ground in fear, but whoa… That had been one _amazing_ first kiss. She smiled at nothing in particular and pressed her lips against Jace's chest.

"Yeah, we should." Jace said, leaning back and letting go of her.

They walked home in silence, their hands intertwined in the pocket of Jace's hoodie. Clary kept sneaking glances at him, and he smiled knowingly each time, as if sensing her gaze without looking at her. When they reached the house, Jace frowned.

"I'll try to remember more. Maybe having killed that demon will help." His face darkened.

Clary felt something twinge inside of her. She remembered how pale he looked and how much his hands shook when he tried to remember. Her worry was stopped short when she thought about what he'd just said.

"It was a _demon_?"

Jace looked at her, surprised. "I guess so. I didn't really think about saying that, it came naturally."

"Just like pulling out that glowing knife." Clary reasoned.

Jace nodded.

"You know, Magnus is coming over this evening, he's big on all that magic and demon stuff. I never believed anything he said, but if that thing you killed was real, maybe he knows more than I thought."

"His name sounds really familiar, I've been wondering about that ever since you told me about him." Jace said. "I think talking to him is a good idea."

As it turned out, Magnus was already inside when Jace and Clary arrived. Clary could hear him talking to Luke in the kitchen, and she was surprised to realize that she felt nervous. What if Magnus knew how to get Jace's memory back? That would be great, of course, but why didn't the thought of it make her feel happy? Clary knew it was selfish, but part of her wanted to keep Jace to herself. If he remembered where he lived, and who he lived with, he'd leave and she'd lose him. She'd known him for just two days, and the first one he'd even been unconscious, but it had felt so right to her. It had been like living in a bubble, just her and Jace to worry about, nothing else. But they needed to know what had happened earlier, and Jace needed to go back to his own live.

"Is that Magnus?" Jace asked, talking about the voice in the kitchen.

Clary nodded. "Yes, that's him."

Her voice was squeaky and Jace raised an eyebrow at her. "Something wrong?"

"It's nothing." She said, looking away and heading towards the kitchen.

Jace didn't say anything else, but his hand wound around hers, comforting her even though he didn't know what was bothering her.

Magnus was sitting down, his long legs stretched out in front of him and resting on another chair. Luke was making coffee and smiled at Clary when he noticed her entering.

"Hi Luke, hi Magnus." Clary greeted them. "Magnus, this is Jace. I imagine Luke has told you everything already?"

Luke was staring at their linked hands with a weird expression on his face. Magnus stared too, but he was grinning widely.

"Yes he did." He said, moving gracefully as he stood up. "So nice to meet you Jace."

Luke excused himself, probably to get ready for his night shift.

Magnus was wearing black leather pants that had some sort of shimmer on them which alternated in colour, depending on the light. His shirt was of the same sort, extremely tight fitting with a deep V-neck, glittering covering the front. He'd left his hair alone, and instead of it standing straight up in spikes, bangs covered his forehead and made him look much younger.

Jace took it all in sceptically. "I know you... somehow"

Magnus looked startled for a second. "I thought you didn't remember anything?"

"Even with severe memory loss, I doubt I could forget someone looking like that." Jace said, gesturing at the glittering clothes.

"Thank you." Magnus beamed, apparently taking it as a compliment.

Clary glanced at Jace, and from the tense set of his jaw, she knew that he was trying to remember Magnus.

"Don't you know him?" She asked Magnus, while worriedly rubbing circles on Jace's hand with her thumb.

"Sadly, no." Magnus shook his head in regret. "I _do_ know of a family who lost a guy two days ago. Eigteen years old, about your height, blonde,… Why, now that I think about it, that might be you!" Magnus feigned surprise and sank down on his chair. "What a coincidence! Such a small world we live in." He smiled at Clary.

Clary was getting frustrated. Magnus was playing with them and she wasn't amused. "If you know something, then tell us. Enough has happened today and we don't need your riddles." Clary sighed. "Do you know Jace's family or not?"

Magnus looked taken aback, and maybe even a little bit hurt. He covered it up quickly and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Well, fine. I do. But don't expect me to call them right this second, it's too late in the evening for such things. Jace will have to stay here until tomorrow."

Clary was about to protest, surely Jace's family would want to hear whether their son was alright, but Jace squeezed her hand.

"It's fine. We can wait until tomorrow." He said warily.

Magnus's eyes lit up. "Great. That's settled then. And don't worry Clary, his family knows he can get himself out of trouble."

Clary shot Jace a questioning look. Should they tell Magnus about the demon thing?

Jace shook his head a little, telling her to keep quiet about it.

Magnus was watching them curiously, and then gave Jace a piece of paper.

"That's my address. Meet me around noon and I'll take you to your family." He smiled at them and then left the room.

Clary frowned when she heard the front door bang shut. "He's usually not that crazy." She told Jace. "I'm sorry you have to wait. I don't know what's going on with him."

Jace shrugged. "I don't mind."

Clary smiled. She didn't mind either, and if she could have a little more time with Jace in her bubble, she wouldn't complain.

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><p><strong>AN: So, liked it? Magnus was supposed to be acting a <em>little<em> weird, was it not too OOC? Did I write the kissing scene alright? What did you think? Leave me a review, pretty please? **

**For those of you who are wondering: Alec and Isabelle will appear in the next chapter :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I'm so incredibly sorry for the long wait! My exams start next week, so I decided to write as much as I could before everything goes crazy again. Chapter 6 is done, too, so I will upload that later today or tomorrow. **

**Chapter 7 will be the last chapter of this story. Isabelle and Alec were supposed to appear in this chapter, but it ended up being too long so I split it in 2. I hope you don't mind since the next chapter will be up very soon.**

_Disclaimer: I don't own TMI or any of its characters, it all belongs to C. Clare_

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><p><strong>Jace POV<strong>

Jace sat down on his bed and pulled Clary close. Magnus had just left and Jace needed some time to think. He definitely knew Magnus somehow, but it didn't look like he was going to remember anything else.

Clary squeezed his hand. "If you don't want to wait until tomorrow, I'm sure Luke can convince Magnus to help us now."

Jace shook his head. "No." He nervously ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know, what if-" He stopped talking and pressed his lips together.

"What is it?" Clary frowned and reached out to touch his face.

Jace avoided her eyes and stared at his knees instead. "I'm afraid." It felt weird, saying that. He knew he wasn't used to being scared, and definitely not to admitting that he was. But it was true, and Clary didn't know how much he hated saying it. She didn't know how _unlike_ him it was to feel things like this, and even though he'd forgotten almost everything, he knew things about himself as if they were vague memories.

"Of what?" She was curious, and a little worried, but not impressed or shocked as people who'd known him for a long time would be. It was easier to talk to her because of that, less hard to open up to her.

"What if I'll never remember?" He said silently.

Clary relaxed beside him. "Of course you will. Magnus will help us, there's nothing to worry about." She seemed very sure of this, but it didn't help much.

"But what if he can't? What if I see my family tomorrow and I don't recognize them?"

Clary sighed and took his head in her hands, turning it towards her. "He can help us. I promise. You'll go back to your family and everything will be as it was before. Okay?"

Jace smiled a little and nodded. Her confidence was comforting and he figured that exhaustion was making him so gloomy.

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><p><strong>Clary POV <strong>

Clary was glad that Jace felt better, but it was hard to keep the smile plastered on her face. It was fake and didn't reach her eyes, and she knew Jace would notice this. She kissed him when he looked up, her hands moving to the back of his head and her fingers tugging lightly on his soft curls. She'd surprised him, but he didn't seem to mind. He held her waist and played with the hem of her shirt. Clary had the awful feeling that this might be their last day together. She didn't know why, but part of her was sure that everything would change once Jace went back to his family.

Suddenly she froze, and Jace pulled back. "What's wrong?"

Clary stared at him, her eyes wide, and immediately let go of him. "Jace! What if you have a girlfriend?"

Jace stared at her, confusion clear in his eyes.

"What if you have a girlfriend and you forgot? She must be so worried about you! Oh God." Clary held her hand to her mouth in horror. She might be ruining his relationship. He could be cheating on his girlfriend _right now_.

Jace didn't seem very concerned, though. "I don't think I have a girlfriend." He said, shrugging.

"How do you know?" Clary asked, skeptical.

"I don't. I just have this theory. I know that I have a family, because I miss them. I can still feel that I love them, even though I don't remember them." Jace looked away for a moment, his hand gripping the sheets out of frustration. "I think that if I had a girlfriend, I would feel that, too. I would miss her." He smiled at her. "But I don't have to, cause she's right here."

Clary blushed and kissed his cheek. He turned his head so he could reach her lips and when their arms were locked around each other, he fell backwards onto the mattress. Clary giggled, her legs straddled Jace's chest and their faces were so close she could feel his breath on her cheek.

"Do you think you've had a lot of girlfriends?" she asked, studying his face. As far as she could tell, he was a very good kisser.

He laughed. "Why? Do you think I have?" He moved his hands higher up her body and lightly stroked her back, tickling her.

Clary gasped a little and squirmed away from his hands. She took his wrists and pinned them down at his sides. He could pull away easily, but he didn't. "Seems like it." She said, a little out of breath.

"Have you?" He asked curiously. "Had a boyfriend, I mean." He added, when she didn't say anything.

Clary was surprised. Couldn't he tell? She shook her head. "Isn't it obvious?" she asked, a little hesitantly. This was all new for her.

Jace smiled gently at her, pulled one of his hands free and pulled her down to kiss her. He moved his lips to her ear.

"You shouldn't underestimate yourself, you know." His breath tickled her ear.

Clary bit her lip and rolled over to lie beside him.

Outside, the sun was setting. Clary glanced at the window and sighed. "It's getting late."

Her hand was stroking Jace's chest and his shoulder served as a good pillow.

Jace mumbled something but didn't move. His eyes were closed and he had one arm around Clary's small form.

"Do you want me to leave so you can sleep?" Clary asked. She really wanted to stay there in bed with him, but maybe he'd rather be alone.

Jace snorted. "No."

Clary smiled at the smirk on his face and reached for the covers. She was wearing her comfy clothes, soft pants and sweater, so she didn't really need to change into her pyjamas.

"Do you need to change?" She asked.

Jace grinned. "I don't have my closet with me, remember? I've been sleeping in my underwear, would you be able to just sleep here if I changed?" He opened one eye and glanced at her red face.

"Shut up." She said, and pulled the covers up to her and Jace's chin. She curled up into a ball and snuggled closer to him. Before she fell asleep, she thought about what Luke would think. Then she decided it didn't matter, even if he came to look for her, she and Jace's were just sleeping.

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><p>Clary woke up early the next morning. She could hear Luke talking to Magnus in the hallway and blinked a few times to let her eyes adjust. Then she realized her head was resting on Jace's chest, his fingers twisted in her hair. She couldn't help smiling and stared at his sleeping face. It seemed so much softer now, a hardness she hadn't even noticed before was missing. The tense set of his jaw relaxed and his brow smoothed out.<p>

Clary silently sneaked away from the bed and combed her hair with her fingers. Her clothes were a little rumpled but Magnus had seen her on her worst whenever Luke called him to cure her when she had the flu. She left the room and walked into the kitchen, waving at Magnus where he'd hoisted himself up onto the kitchen cabinets. Glitter was already all over the room, falling off his deep purple V-neck shirt.

"Morning." She mumbled, her voice still a bit rough from sleeping.

Magnus glanced at her hair and clothes and grinned, his eyes lighting up. When Luke entered the kitchen a minute later, looking just as dishevelled, Magnus straight out beamed.

"Ah, Jace!" he exclaimed, way too excited considering the early hour. "Ready to meet your family?"

Jace lifted one eyebrow, staring at the outrageous outfit Magnus was wearing, and cleared his throat. "Will I recognize them when I see them?"

Magnus frowned a little but recovered quickly. "We'll tackle that problem if it presents itself." He said, smiling encouragingly.

Jace nodded and left the room to get ready.

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><p><strong>AN: Not much happened, but that's why I'm uploading chapter 6 so soon. Hope you still liked it :) <strong>

**Reviews are appreciated :) **


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: So, as I said, chapter 6 is up soon :). Thank you so much for the reviews, favorites and alerts, you made my day! I hope you'll like it :). (Also, I know they're falling in love really quickly, but otherwise there wouldn't be much of story ;) )**

_Disclaimer: I don't own TMI, I don't even own a copy of **City of Lost Souls** yet! _

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><p><strong>Clary POV<strong>

"This is where I live?" Jace asked, staring up at the Institute in awe.

"Doesn't ring a bell?" Magnus asked, and Clary saw that he was starting to worry.

On the way over, Magnus had told Jace about his family. Their names, ages, appearances, and he'd clearly hoped that Jace would start remembering them. Right now they were standing in front of a big cathedral, which Magnus called 'The Institute". When Clary had commented on how big it was, Magnus had shot her a weird glance. As if he knew something that she didn't. Jace hadn't wanted to tell Magnus about the incident they'd had the day before, the Demon Jace had killed, but Clary was starting to doubt that decision.

Jace was looking a bit pale and reached for Clary's hand. She squeezed his and watched as Magnus rang the bell. They heard footsteps approaching on the other side of the door, and Clary's stomach twisted nervously. The door opened and a boy who she assumed was Alec invited them inside. He glanced at Clary in surprise but immediately turned his attention to Jace.

"Jace." Alec said. He lifted his arms a little, but then dropped them again. He kept his distance and frowned. "You still don't remember us?"

Jace shook his head. His mouth a thin line. Clary realized what he was doing when she felt his hand tremble in hers. She rubbed her thumb across his palm and tugged a little on his hand to keep him in the present. She'd been so scared when he'd done this before, trying to remember, and he needed to snap out of it.

"Jace, stop it." She said gently.

Alec watched them in confusion, but turned to Magnus. "When will he remember?"

Clary noticed something when she watched Alec and Magnus talk. Alec's expression softened and Magnus turned a bit more serious and genuine.

Magnus shrugged in defeat. "I don't know, I thought seeing this place and you would fix it."

All of them looked up when a girl entered the hallway. Her eyes widened when she saw Jace and she practically launched herself at him. Jace froze when she embraced him and she pulled back immediately.

"I'm sorry." She said awkwardly, "guess it's weird to be hugged by a total stranger."

Clary felt bad for the girl, who had to be Isabelle, she clearly missed her brother.

Isabelle looked at Clary and raised an eyebrow. "Who's this?"

"I'm Clary." Clary got the feeling that she wasn't very welcome.

"I've been staying at her house these past few days." Jace said, frowning at Isabelle's attitude.

"Well, I guess I should thank you, then." She smiled a little at Clary, but her eyes lacked warmth. "I think we can handle it now, though. You don't need to stay."

Clary was taken aback and shot Jace a questioning glance.

"She's staying." Jace said.

Isabelle's eyes widened. "But she's a _mundane_! Jace, you don't care for them-"

Magnus interrupted her. "Uhm, Isabelle, when I told you he forgot everything, I did mean _everything_."

Isabelle's hand shot up to her mouth in shock and even Alec looked surprised.

"He thinks he's a _mundane_?" She stared at Jace in horror. "Jace, didn't you see the marks?"

Confusion was clear on Jace's face and Clary didn't understand either. "Magnus, what are they talking about?"

Magnus sighed and looked at Jace. "You killed a demon yesterday, right?"

Jace frowned. "I guess so. How do you know?"

Magnus rolled his eyes. "You stank of demon blood, I'm hurt that you didn't tell me, though." He glanced at Clary. "Anyhow, killing demons is kind of what you do. You couldn't have killed it if you were only human."

Clary gasped. "He's not _human_?"

Magnus sighed again in annoyance. "I wouldn't have to explain all this if only you remembered."

"Well, I'll let you know that I've been trying." Jace said angrily.

Alec moved to stand beside Magnus and tried to calm everyone down. "Izzy, stop being ungrateful and be polite," Isabelle glared at Alec but looked at Clary and inclined her head, apologizing silently. Alec went on "Clary you can stay here, you were able to see the institute, right?"

Clary frowned, but Magnus looked at Alec with pride. "Right." He said.

"So that means you have the Sight, maybe even more, and we'll explain everything later." Alec told her, then he turned to face Magnus. "Why don't you solve this with magic? Aren't you able to give Jace his memories back?"

Magnus hesitated. "Maybe. I was hoping Jace would remember on his own, but the chances of that are getting smaller. I could try to fix this, but I can't promise anything."

Clary knew there was something he wasn't telling them. "What else?" She asked him, eyes narrowing.

"It's not very… pleasant." Magnus added.

Jace didn't seem very concerned about that. "I don't care, do what you have to do."

Clary shook her head. "That's not it. You're withholding something else, aren't you?"

Magnus shot her a guilty look. "You know me too well." He said, shaking his head.

Clary noticed Alec looking at her curiously, but focused on Magnus.

He sighed. "Well, if what I do is successful, and Jace remembers, he might lose his memory of the past few days. He'll only remember what happened before his memory loss."

Jace glared at Magnus. "There's no logic in that!" He seethed, pulling Clary closer.

"That's why they call it magic, not logic." Magnus said.

Clary wasn't paying attention anymore. This was so incredibly unfair! They would have to start all over again, and if she hadn't taken care of Jace when he'd needed it, he would've never even noticed her. It wouldn't be the same, she knew that.

Jace placed his hands on Clary's shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "Remember what I told you about how I would've remembered if I had a girlfriend?"

Clary nodded miserably.

"I still think that's true. Even if these past few days are taken from me, I'll still remember you." He stared at her intently, studying her face.

Clary wrapped her arms around him and hid her face against his chest. She wouldn't ask him not to do it, of course not, he needed to know his family, his life. But she realized that this could be the end of what she'd had with him. Her fingers clutched at his shirt and tears were blurring her sight.

He tilted her chin up and kissed her softly. "I love you Clary."

She stifled a sob and wiped at her tears. "I love you, too."

"Then we're good." Jace smiled at her and then looked up at Magnus. "How will you do this?"

"We need to find you a bed. You might be out for a couple hours."

Clary glanced at Jace, worried, but he just nodded.

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><p>A few minutes later, Jace was lying down on what Alec told them was his bed. Isabelle was leaning against the wall, her eyes worried. Alec placed one hand on Magnus's shoulder, squeezing it encouragingly. Magnus was holding Jace's head between his hands, his fingers pressing on specific places in his neck and at his temples. "Are you ready?" He asked Jace.<p>

Jace nodded, his face empty.

Clary was kneeling next to the bed and squeezed Jace's hand. Magnus had told them it could take a few hours for Jace to wake up, and she intended to stay beside him the entire time.

"Try to hold still as long as you can." Magnus told him. "I can't let go of your head."

For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then Jace tensed and squeezed his eyes shut. He breathed through his teeth and his chest shuddered with each breath. Clary had to resist the urge to push Magnus away, as Jace's hand became hot in hers.

Jace curled up into a ball and his muscles twitched, but he kept his head in place. Just when Clary thought he was going to cry out, his body turned limp.

She glanced at Magnus in alarm, but he was slowly releasing Jace's head, looking satisfied.

"This was the most important part." Magnus told them. "Normally, I just need to bring back specific memories, this is about his whole life. That's why it's going to take a bit longer. Now, I don't know about his memories of Clary, but he's going to remember everything that happened before."

Isabelle and Alec sighed in relief, but Clary had look away from Jace's face to keep from crying.

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><p>Clary walked around the room, Jace's room, to loosen up her stiff muscles. She'd been sitting next to the bed for three hours now, and her legs ached. She was a bit disappointed with what she found in this room. There were very few personal items, few things that could tell her something about him. Magnus knocked on the door and came in. "Any changes?"<p>

Clary shook her head. "Not really. He's been feverish." She sat down again and touched Jace's cheek. "I do think his restraints are weakening." She eyed his twitching wrists and bit her lip.

Magnus had used magic to restrain Jace's wrists, feet and upper body to the bed, to make sure he didn't move too much. Magnus had made a connection with Jace's mind and memory, so that he didn't have to hold the pressure points all the time to use magic, but if Jace moved too much, the connection would break.

If Clary tried hard, she could see the shimmering ropes around his body, pinning him to the mattress. Magnus stared at them and touched them in a few places, until they tightened and confined Jace's movements to a minimum. Clary anxiously waited for him to wake up, and her heart ached for him when she saw his muscles tense in pain.

She didn't know what would be best. Being there when he woke up or waiting until he asked for her? She knew it would break her heart if he woke up and didn't know who she was, maybe it would be best to avoid that.

After an hour, something changed. Jace became stronger, his movements weakening the ropes around his body. Clary worried about him breaking his connection with Magnus and ran into the hallway to call him.

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><p><strong>Jace POV<strong>

Jace didn't know what was happening, but whatever it was, he didn't like it one bit. He knew something was wrong, but couldn't stay focused long enough to find out what. He was distracted by pain. Pain everywhere. His muscles were tired and ached, his skin was burning. Something was too tight around his chest and he couldn't breathe properly. There were no sounds and he didn't know where he was and he felt something, _someone_, in his head.

_Get out!_ He yelled.

He wanted to jerk his head away, to break whatever was keeping him connected to this other person, but he was pinned down and could barely move. Who had done this to him? If he concentrated, he could think through the confusion and determine that he was being held down by ropes of magic. From his wrists to his elbows, his ankles to his knees and all around his chest and neck.

He'd had the strangest dream, about living another life. And there were people, a girl with red hair, eating pancakes and sleeping beside her. It all flashed in front of his eyes too fast to take it in, and he wished for the blackness that had held him until a few minutes ago.

After some time, he heard a dull sound somewhere far away and blurry faces appeared above him. At first he couldn't see who it was, but then his sight cleared and he saw Alec, talking to him, eyes full of worry. Alec's mouth moved but Jace could barely hear the muffled words. He thought he heard Alec say _Magnus_, but wasn't entirely sure. Maybe Magnus would come and fix this.

Alec's face disappeared and Magnus's took its place. He talked, too, but Jace interrupted him.

"I can't hear." He said, his voice a faraway hum to his own ears.

Magnus nodded in understanding and disappeared. Seconds later, Jace could feel hands holing his head. Fingers pressed against the soft spot below his ear, behind his jawbone, and his ears popped. It made him feel a bit dizzy but at least he could hear again.

"Beter?" he could hear Magnus ask behind his head.

"Yes." He said. "Can you remove those magic ropes and tell me what hell is going on?"

"Just a minute, Jace." Magnus said, his hands wrapping around Jace's head again. "Can you tell me what you did on your birthday last year?"

"This better be pretty important." Jace grumbled. "I didn't do anything because Isabelle was visiting family and made us promise not to do anything fun until she was back."

"Yep, we got him back." Isabelle's voice came from somewhere else in the room.

"Okay, Jace, I'm getting out of your head now, you'll have to hold still for another minute." Magnus said.

"I don't have much of a choice." Jace said. Somewhere, a small part of him remembered Magnus getting inside his mind, making a connection. He wanted to jerk his head away when he felt Magnus's fingers press against his neck and temples, but knew that it wouldn't do much good. He braced himself for what was about to come and tensed when he felt the magic. He wanted to curl up and fold in on himself to stifle the bursts of agony that reached from his head, but the ropes held him tightly against the bed.

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><p><strong>Clary POV<strong>

Clary couldn't believe he had to go through this again. She was watching from a corner of the room and wanted to rush to him and hold him. She'd planned on leaving when she saw that he was waking up, but couldn't. Now she wished she had, he didn't seem to remember her at all. Maybe she was thinking too much about herself, though. He'd just woken up, had been really confused and yelling, so he probably wanted to know what was going on before he asked for her.

Clary had to look away. She couldn't stand the sight of him fighting against every restraining rope. It didn't take as long as the first time, though. Magnus released Jace's head and backed away. "I don't know how he does it." Magnus shook his head. "His mind it not a nice place to be." He glanced at Clary, "You were good for him. He was happy."

Clary nodded, but her lip trembled. She didn't know anything about who Jace had been before. She knew Jace without the walls he normally hid behind. She'd learned a great deal about him from Alec, who'd talked to her when Jace had been unconscious. He'd told her about Shadowhunters, about the black Marks and scars she'd seen on Jace's skin, about what Jace had witnessed as a child, and about how he'd become a harsh and lonely person.

"Magnus? The ropes?" Jace said, his voice strained.

"Right!" Magnus said, and he snapped his fingers.

Immediately, the ropes loosened and then dissolved into thin air. Jace breathed in deeply and massaged his wrists. He sat up and hunched over, head against his knees.

"Oh, I forgot." Magnus said apologetically, "don't sit up too quickly or you'll get sick."

"Thanks for the warning." Jace groaned. "Now tell me what happened."

"You lost your memory, you didn't know who we were. Magnus got it back." Alec said, shooting Magnus a grateful glance.

Jace pressed his hands against his closed eyes. "Give me a minute, I think I remember that. How long was I out? I had this dream… It seems like days."

"We don't know how it happened. Three days ago, you just didn't come home. We weren't too worried until you didn't show up the day after and didn't return any of our calls."

"So how did I end up back here?" Jace frowned.

Clary stepped forward. "Jace…" She whispered. Her heart ached, her hands shook. Would her face mean something to him?

He stared at her in disbelief. Then he pushed himself off the bed and wrapped his arms around her. "God, Clary." He said, kissing her deeply.

She held on to him and clutched at his shirt.

"I thought you were a dream." He said, pulling away to look at her. "I thought you… I'm so glad you're here." He embraced her again, and she could feel a tremor going through his body.

"Jace?" Isabelle's voice interrupted them and they both looked up. "Do you know what caused you to lose your memory?" She asked.

Jace tensed in Clary's arms, but he shook his head. "I have no idea." Clary saw him glance at Magnus, who nodded, and she knew he wasn't telling the truth.

She would ask him later. They had all the time in the world, and right now she just wanted to enjoy the moment. She wanted to hold Jace and never let go of him again.

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><p><strong>AN: I don't know why, but this chapter was<em> so hard<em> to write, I hope I did it right. Please tell me what you think! Thank you so much for reading :).**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: This is the last chapter! I hope you like it :) enjoy!**

_Disclaimer: I don't own The Mortal Instruments, though I would love to have my own Jace. Everything belongs to Cassandra Clare._

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><p><strong>Clary POV<strong>

When they were sure Jace was okay, Alec, Isabelle and Magnus left the room. Jace sank down on the edge of his bed. Clary stood in front of him, studying him worriedly.

"Again, I'm fine." Jace said, rolling his eyes. "Stop looking at me like I'm gonna fall to pieces."

Clary shook her head and tilted his chin up. He looked up at her questioningly, but she just brought a finger to his throat and softly stroked the pink line the magical ropes had left on his skin. He flinched away and Clary raised an eyebrow.

"I worry about you." She said, sitting down next to him.

"Well, you shouldn't." Jace patted his pockets. "It'll be gone when I get my stele back."

Clary kissed his cheek, then sighed. "Maybe you should try to sleep." The dark circles below his eyes were distracting. Maybe if he'd had a few hours of sleep, she would believe him when he told her he was fine.

"I'm not tired."

"Stop lying."

Jace sighed and stretched out on the mattress, pulling Clary with him.

Clary didn't understand what Jace was doing. She kept quiet, so he would fall asleep, but he stubbornly kept his eyes open. When practically every breath he took was interrupted by a yawn, Clary couldn't take it any longer. She pushed herself up on her elbow and glared at him.

"Why can't you just go to sleep!" she said exasperatedly. "You obviously need it."

Jace didn't answer her right away. "I can't- I just-"

Clary interrupted him, her voice suddenly much softer. "Jace," She laid her head on his chest, because she knew he'd talk easier if he didn't have to look at her. "Are you scared?"

His arm wrapped around her body. "Why would you think that?"

"Because even though we met only a couple of days ago, I think I know you pretty well. And the last time you acted like this, you told me you were afraid. I can see it in your eyes."

He sighed. "Well, yes, then." His fingers combed through her hair. "The last time I closed my eyes, my sleep wasn't very… pleasant."

"I'm sorry." Clary whispered. She hadn't really thought about that.

"I mean, I know Magnus had no other choice and the connection is broken now, but it's hard to just stop thinking about it."

Clary felt his body tense beneath her and moved a little so she could reach his lips. She kissed him softly, her fingers twisting in the soft curls at the back of his neck.

"Let's just talk then, okay?"

"About what?"

"Do really not remember why you lost your memory?"

Jace laughed softly. "I'm not sure whether you knowing me so well is a good thing."

"So you do remember?" Clary wasn't surprised.

Jace nodded. "I just don't think Magnus would like it if I told everyone."

"My lips are sealed, promise." Clary said.

"Did anyone already tell you about the downworlders?"

Clary nodded. "Alec told me a little."

"Well, a week ago, something was stolen from the Queen of Seelie Court."

Clary interrupted him. "I said Alec told me a _little_."

"The queen of the fairies?" Jace tried.

"Okay, go on."

"So she asked for our help because she didn't think one of the faeries did it. As a reward, the one who found out who did it would be granted one wish. Of course Isabelle immediately began choosing new shoes or whatever, and Alec didn't really believe the Queen, but I started really thinking about it. Magnus was with us, and he kept looking at me with this weird look on his face."

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><p><strong>Jace POV - <em>three days earlier<em>**

Jace sighed. They'd been talking all day about who could've robbed the Seelie Queen, and they didn't have a clue. He slouched in one of Magnus's loveseats and really wanted to go home. Apparently, Isabelle was feeling the same way.

"Look, we're not getting anywhere like this. Let's continue tomorrow by actually talking to people who might know more. I'm getting bored."

"Hallelujah." Jace said, and he pushed himself upright.

Alec frowned but nodded. "Fine. We'll start anew tomorrow." He made his way to the door after kissing Magnus goodbye.

Isabelle spotted Alec's jacket on the edge of a couch, picked it up and ran after Alec, yelling at him for having to pick up his things behind him.

Jace was just so tired of everything. He wanted to be outside for a while, alone, away from the mess and the talking and _everything_.

Magnus stopped him in the doorway. "You don't look so good."

"Thanks." Jace said, trying to walk around Magnus.

"What, no witty comeback? No insult? What has gotten into you?" Magnus seemed genuinely concerned.

Jace didn't know. He knew it wasn't just that moment, he'd been like this for some time now, and he knew it worried his family.

"What would you have asked?" Magnus asked him, a gleam in his eyes.

Jace was too tired for games. "What?"

"The Seelie Queen. What would you wish for, if you were given the chance?"

"Love." Jace blurted. He hadn't meant to say that, but the word left his lips before he even thought about it. He sighed. "I would wish for true love."

Magnus smiled at him and Jace thought there was something sad in that smile. "Maybe I can help with that?"

Jace laughed. "Thanks, but no. Isn't Alec enough for you?" He shook his head. "I just don't believe in love. Not for me." He moved past Magnus and left the building.

While he walked down the stairs, his vision suddenly shifted. For a second, everything was a blur and he had to blink a few times. His head felt weird, his chest tight. He needed to get outside.

Out on the street, with the night air brushing his skin, his thoughts cleared. Why had he just told Magnus that? He really needed to get a grip. He made his way to the Institute but stopped when he passed the lake. His stomach was twisting and his head still felt strange, so he decided to stay outside for a few minutes, before going home. Maybe the cold would sharpen his senses again.

The pathway around the lake was icy and covered with snow. It crunched beneath his boots and the cold pinched at his cheeks. Maybe he should go back. Jace turned around but lost his balance, his feet slid and he grabbed a branch to keep from falling. He was breathing heavily and tried to figure out what was happening to him. He _never_ lost his balance before.

The world turned around him, and black spots danced in front of his eyes. He lost his grip on the branch and fell down, tumbling down the slope, almost all the way to the lake. He stayed down and tried to catch his breath. A branch or a rock had caused a gash in his side, and with the last of his energy, Jace managed to trace a healing mark on his skin. Then everything turned to darkness.

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><p><strong>Clary POV<strong>

Clary had been listening to Jace with wide eyes. "I found you the next morning. You were there all night, in the cold!"

"The healing mark must've helped me with that." Jace said, shrugging.

"so you think Magnus did that to you?" Clary asked.

"I'm sure that it didn't happen exactly the way he planned it, or if he really thought something would happen, but I'm certain that he caused the dizziness that made me fall."

"So he brought us together?" Clary was very excited but tried not to show it too much.

Jace made a face. "He probably did something wrong, which made me fall. And you found me while walking the dog, by coincidence."

Clary thought about it. "It could explain how I felt about you, though." She looked up at him, her hand stroking his cheek. "I never understood why, but from the moment I saw you, I cared about you." She blushed a little.

"You held me. When you found me, you held me off the ground. I remember you stroking my hair…" Jace's voice trailed off, sounding tired. "I remember wondering why… You didn't even know me."

Clary nodded. "I really wanted to get to know you. I felt something for you right away." When she looked up at him, his eyes were closed.

She reached up to kiss him on the lips. "Sweet dreams." She told him, and snuggled closer to him.

He drifted to sleep with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

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><p><strong>AN: first of all, everyone who read this story and everyone who reviewed: thank you so much! I hope you liked reading it as much as I loved writing it :). <strong>

**For the last time: Did you like this chapter? Was it a good ending? **

**What part of the story did you like most? Please review!**


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